Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes
by Kitsune no Tora
Summary: A collection of 100 themed short stories about the characters in Rune Factory 2. A full range of genres, characters, pairings, ratings and lengths, so there's something for everyone! Current theme is 062: Spring.
1. Index

Since I will NOT be doing these in order (and because we want credit where it's due), I'm including an index/disclaimer/warning/list of themes used. Chapters will be named after their themes, so you shouldn't have any problems finding anything.

**Bolded** = complete

Disclaimer: I do not own _Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon_ _2_ and all subsequent things that go with that. The themes used in this were not of my creation, except for the 5 Author's Choice themes allotted to me, which will be updated as I think of them. Chances are they'll be in someone else's list anyway, so I really won't claim them.

General Warning: Pretty much every pairing you can think of (except incest and pedophilia, that doesn't fly with me) will probably arise. Things will probably weigh more heavily on the yaoi (malexmale) side, but there will definitely be some heterosexual pairings. There will also be some with no romance at all. Whatever wants to come out of my brain goes, really. Language ranges from mild to severe, and sexually explicit scenarios might arise. If they do, I WILL warn you. There's no guarantee that they will, though. Violence will probably be at a minimum, since I suck at action, so there really won't be much gore at all. **This is a general warning – I will warn you of anything specific on each chapter individually. **So don't be scared away! Ratings are from K+ to M, so there's something for everybody.

A/N: This is a sort-of joint project with Thoughtless7. She's doing the same list (excluding her own Author's Choice themes) for the original _Rune Factory_, while I am doing this for _Rune Factory 2_. I thought I should mention that because we are going to help each other on a regular basis. XD; While all writing will be our own, we'll be helping each other out with minor problems or if we get stuck.

I hope you enjoy!

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon 2 - 100 Themes

Original list by _Fanfic100_ on LiveJournal.

**001. Beginnings.** **Chapter #5**  
002. Middles.  
003. Ends.  
004. Insides.  
005. Outsides.  
006. Hours.  
007. Days.  
008. Weeks.  
009. Months.  
010. Years.  
011. Red.  
012. Orange.  
013. Yellow.  
014. Green.  
015. Blue.  
**016. Purple. Chapter #6**  
017. Brown.  
018. Black.  
019. White.  
020. Colorless.  
021. Friends.  
022. Enemies.  
023. Lovers.  
024. Family.  
025. Strangers.  
026. Teammates.  
027. Parents.  
028. Children.  
029. Birth.  
030. Death.  
031. Sunrise.  
032. Sunset.  
033. Too Much.  
034. Not Enough.  
035. Sixth Sense.  
**036. Smell. Chapter #10**  
037. Sound.  
038. Touch.  
039. Taste.  
040. Sight.  
041. Shapes.  
042. Triangle.  
043. Square.  
044. Circle.  
045. Moon.  
046. Star.  
047. Heart.  
048. Diamond.  
049. Club.  
050. Spade.

051. Water.  
052. Fire.  
053. Earth.  
054. Air.  
**055. Spirit. Chapter #9**  
056. Breakfast.  
057. Lunch.  
058. Dinner.  
**059. Food.** **Chapter #4**  
060. Drink.  
**061. Winter. Chapter #3  
****062. Spring. Chapter #11**  
063. Summer.  
064. Fall.  
065. Passing.  
066. Rain.  
067. Snow.  
068. Lightening.  
069. Thunder.  
**070. Storm. Chapter #2**  
071. Broken.  
072. Fixed.  
073. Light.  
074. Dark.  
075. Shade.  
**076. Who? Chapter #7**  
077. What?  
078. Where?  
079. When?  
080. Why?  
081. How?  
082. If.  
083. And.  
084. He.  
085. She.  
086. Choices.  
087. Life.  
088. School.  
089. Work.  
090. Home.  
091. Birthday.**  
092. Christmas. Chapter #8**  
093. Thanksgiving.  
094. Independence.  
095. New Year.

096. Author's Choice  
097. Author's Choice  
098. Author's Choice.  
099. Author's Choice.  
100. Author's Choice.


	2. 070: Storms

Warnings: Just some foul language on Jake's part. It's also waaaaay too long to be called a drabble, but I just couldn't help myself… All of these will probably not be so long. XD

Characters: Jake and Kyle

_**Rune Factory 2: One Hundred Themes**_

_**Theme 070: Storm**_

.~.~.~.~.

"Damn, this came sooner than I expected…" Jake grumbled to himself as he huddled against a wall. Just one look at the sky and a few whispers from the spirits of the wind that morning had told him that a large storm was coming, but it wasn't due until later in the day. So Jake had taken the small opportunity to practice his swordsmanship – Tanya didn't work on rainy days, even if the shop was open.

But now, his excellent timing meant he was soaked the bone and hunched against someone's house, taking advantage of the small amount the roof hung over the front. He wasn't going to go in – he would never willingly spend time with or accept aid from a _human_ – but he _was_ going to take advantage of the small reprieve from the storm, however little it kept the rain off, with the hopes that it would calm down a little.

It wasn't looking like that was promising, the way the wind whipped the rain like bullets and thunder howled menacingly in the distance. It had gotten dark astonishingly fast; and he couldn't see much through the torrent except what was right in front of his face, cast in shadow by the soft light coming from inside.

Jake stared murderously at the rolling clouds above, muttering and grumbling complaints under his breath until the wall behind him disappeared.

"WAAH!" he shouted (in a totally dignified and not girly way, he was determined to remember it as), tumbling ungracefully into a heap on the floor. As it turned out, the wall he was leaning against wasn't actually a wall at all, but a door - the one who opened it now hovering over him looking extremely amused. "W-What do you think you're doing?!" he sputtered, sitting up and scrambling back so quickly he almost bashed heads with the man.

"I should be asking you that, Jake." Kyle laughed, closing the door. "You're the one who was huddled against my front door. If you wanted to get out of the rain, you could have just asked me."

"Feh. I don't need your help, human." Jake sneered as he scrambled to his feet, nearly slipping in the fast growing puddle underneath him. He pushed past Kyle, aiming to open the door and slip back outside when lightning struck, flashing brightly across the sky, and if it were possible, the rain increased to near-deafening levels.

"Well, I don't know about you, but _I _wouldn't be caught dead in that." Kyle mused, gesturing in general out the window. His expression didn't change – he looked completely entertained by the entire situation, chocolate eyes crinkling with unspoken laughter. Jake nearly growled in frustration, staring out the window furiously, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently on the floor like he was going to stand there and wait for the storm to cease. He heard Kyle walking across the room behind him and up the stairs, but his eyes never left the window.

Kyle came back down a few moments later, and Jake's vision was suddenly blanketed by something white and fuzzy.

"Take it." Kyle said, waving the towel in his face. Jake snorted, turning his nose up at it.

"I don't need your help, human." He swatted his hand away.

"Well, you're the one dripping all over my floor, so if you don't want to take it as a bit of courtesy you could think of that way." Kyle grinned, waving the towel in front of his face again. Jake shook his head but took the towel anyway, draping it over his head to wipe some of the wetness from his face and hair. "I have some extra old clothes if you want them; I set them out in the big bedroom upstairs. I would appreciate it if you did use them, though, I don't want you to catch a cold."

Jake shot a loathing look at Kyle and sneered. "I'm not as weak as you, human," he replied, trying to add as much malice to his voice as he could. "I don't get sick as easily as you."

If he got Kyle angry, he wouldn't be able to accept his kindness. Because the calm, unruffled and patient way he was accepting his remarks and the kind smile he was giving sure were tempting him.

But Kyle just shrugged, smile still in place. "Whatever you want, but you look awfully cold standing there like that."

And true to that comment, Jake was shivering like a wet cat, even though he had been trying his best to hide it. He scowled. "Fine. But don't expect me to thank you, human." Ignoring the way Kyle's smile widened and his eyes crinkled in the corners - and how easily he himself had given in - Jake trudged up the stairs, leaving a trail of drops and puddles in his wake. Kyle deserved the mess, anyway.

He found the bedroom easily – it hosted a very large double bed, and on the desk were a pile of clothes. He picked the shirt up, examining it. It was definitely old – it sported more than a few stains and scuff marks. But that wasn't what Jake first noticed about it and all the clothes that sat on the table; the first thing he noticed was that they were all about ten sizes too big.

He didn't know who had owned these clothes, but it definitely wasn't Kyle.

He sniffed them experimentally, but they smelled clean, like they had been washed not that long ago. So he pulled on the oversized shirt and sweats, pulling the drawstring as tight as he could and picking up his own clothes before padding back down the stairs. It was difficult going – the black sweats, although they had been cut off at the bottom, were still much too long and he kept stepping on the broken hem around his other leg. More than once he nearly tripped down the stairs.

"I set up a rack near the fireplace so your clothes could dry," Kyle remarked when he finally made it on the landing, pouring some hot water into two mugs from a tea kettle that had been nestled before the hearth.

"Who the hell did these belong to, they're huge!" Jake griped, spreading his still-dripping clothes across the steel bars. Kyle handed him a steaming mug and laughed.

"They were here when I got here, but I think they originally belonged to Douglas. He's the only one who could possibly wear that and fit in it, except maybe Gordon. I mostly just kept them around for emergencies." He blew on his cup, the steam scattering and swirling around his face. Jake frowned – he didn't like the idea of wearing that muscle-bound human's belongings, even if they technically belonged to Kyle now. And since when did he prefer if they were something that Kyle would wear, anyway, similar body sizes aside?

Jake slumped in front of the fireplace, sipping the hot cocoa Kyle had handed him and watching the flames dance behind the iron coils. It was silent except for the rain's relentless pounding against the roof, but the quiet was comfortable and the fire was warm. Jake unintentionally let his mind quiet and relax, mesmerized by the flames and soothed by the rhythmic sounds of the storm.

He silently cursed himself for doing so when thunder rolled, making him jump. He glanced around, and Kyle was staring out the window, mug empty and forgotten in his crossed arms. He noticed him shiver, and Kyle set his mug on the table, rubbing his arms as he sat down next to him. He reached forward, trying to get his hands as close to the warm fire as possible while avoiding the wet clothes.

He yawned, and Jake found himself feeling very tired as well.

"I don't think that storm is letting up any time soon. You should probably spend the night." Kyle stretched languidly, sinewy muscles shifting under his pale skin.

"What? No way!" Jake protested automatically. "I'm not staying here with you, human!"

"You don't have much of a choice - do you really want to brave that, especially in the dark? I know you're all tough and strong, but I don't think anybody in their right mind would go out in that." Kyle chuckled. "It's not like we're going to be sleeping together or anything – you can take the double bed, where I set out those clothes. I'll be in the other room. Your clothes should be dry in the morning, and the storm should be gone by then as well."

Jake grimaced at the idea, but he did have a point. He huffed grumpily, following Kyle up the stairs anyway.

He'd stay, but he didn't have to like it. Or admit to liking it, even to himself.

"Goodnight," Kyle yawned, turning into the first room. Jake continued on into the next one, pulling the soft covers away and collapsing into the massive bed. He was amazed at how tired he was, but being here had been soothing, somehow, making him more tired than he would have thought.

He drifted off into dreamland, the rhythmic hammering of the rain and the soft sounds of Kyle's light snoring putting him to sleep. He would deny any and all dreams he had that night, chalking them up as something in the cocoa.

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** It started out rocky, but from about a third of the way through until the end I can say I'm proud of this. 8D I hope you enjoyed~


	3. 061: Winter

Warnings: None at all, really.

Characters: Barrett and Kyle

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 061: Winter**_

.~.~.~.~.

Barrett loved the winter. Sure, it was chilly, but he didn't really mind the cold. It was refreshing, bracing, and left a clean smell to the air. Then there was the snow - a quiet, soft blanket covering the earth, making the whole town seem quiet and peaceful. He didn't particularly enjoy the hustle and bustle of inside the town; too many people, too many voices. He liked the calm, quiet solace of Cherry Blossom Square or Shooting Star Path, and the winter just made it all the more soothing and beautiful. Clear shining icicles dipping down from tree branches, fluffy tendrils of snow whipping through the wind, serene patches of snow where no one had stepped. Just a clean, clear landscape to just sit there and think with no distractions.

Which he was enjoying particularly well today. He sat on a bench in Cherry Blossom Square, jumping a little at the cold sting of the wood, but settling down comfortably. He breathed in deeply, sampling the fresh, crisp air being carried in from the mountains, letting his eyes wander idlly along the smooth, clean surface of the snow. Occasionally he would follow a trail of animal tracks, tiny little indentations in the snow, trying to figure out what animal it might have belonged to. It was peaceful and quiet, just how he liked it. He scarcely heard the peep of a bird. Just perfect.

.~.~.~.~.

Kyle didn't particularly like the winter. It was cold; the wind whipped through his clothes and chilled him to the bone. There was ice. One false step could send someone careening to the ground. That would call for a doctor's visit; he was sure of it. But that all couldn't compare to how he felt about winter's effect on nature. It made everything desolate and dead looking, with all the trees bare and the plants withered and limp, covered in a tomb-like layer of snow. There was no brightness, no variety in color. It was just white. Plain, uninteresting, boring. Plus, not much grew in winter, which put his farm in jeopardy. He merely had what he could grow in the small patches of fertile soil in the dungeons.

He stood before the front door of his house, dreading stepping outside into the cold. But he had to - there were (however few) plants to water, monsters to tend to, people to visit. Pulling his collar up further he pulled open the door, squinting his eyes tightly as the frosty wind stung them. He stuffed his frozen hands into his pockets, swiftly walking up the stairs to his barn. Oh yes, the barn should be warm. Just what he wanted. He walked in, and was immediately assaulted by a Woolly, fuzzy and warm. Just perfect.

.~.~.~.~.

"Phew..." Kyle exhaled sharply as he stepped out onto Shooting Star Path, just coming out of Messhina Valley. He stretched, pulling his tensed muscles loose again. Suddenly reminded of the weather in town, he shivered, pulling his collar back up again. His body urged him to just walk back into Messhina Valley where it was warm and comfortable, but he ignored it, opting for town and seeing everyone.

The first person he saw was Barrett, relaxing on a bench in the Square. "Hi, Barrett," Kyle smiled in his usually friendly fashion, hopping from one foot to another in the snow like an impatient child.

"Hey." Barrett replied simply, giving him a measured look. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "I'm pretty much finished for right now. What are you doing out here in the cold? Aren't you freezing?" He asked, looking worried.

"Not really." Kyle resisted the urge to scowl. _How could he possibly _not _be cold?_

He sat down on the bench, only to jump right back up with a yelp. "How could you sit on that, it's absolutely freezing!" he complained, absentmindedly rubbing his frozen cheeks.

Barrett chuckled, watching the man hop around. Yet another reason he enjoyed the winter season.

Kyle eventually ceased his frozen dancing, finally noticing Barrett's chuckling. He couldn't help but smile. Hey, if it helped him thaw out the icy brunette, maybe he could learn to enjoy the winter a little more.

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! I hope it was enjoyable, and feedback is always loved.


	4. 059: Food

Warnings: Nothing I can think of.

Characters: Rosalind, Cecilia, Herman, and Ray. Natalie is mentioned.

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 059: Food**_

.~.~.~.~.

A scream.

Rosalind jumped, dropping the glass she had brought to her lips. As it fell it hit the arm of her chair, sloshing cold liquid down her front as it unceremoniously crashed to the floor, sending glass shards across the room.

Another shout and Rosalind was on her feet, book forgotten as it fell from her fingers, the pages fluttering in the afternoon breeze. She tiptoed around the broken glass, racing out the door and down the curved staircase to the source of the noise. She turned the corner, anchoring herself by grabbing the railing as she skid across the freshly polished tile and rushed to the dining room door.

She froze. Before her her father lay, hunched over the table, a large hand clutching his left breast as he gasped for air. Cecilia cried out again, one of her dainty hands held around the one Herman had gripping the dining room table.

"Rosalind!" Cecilia called, spotting her in the doorway. "Your father—"

Rosalind gaped in shock at the scene for a moment before rushing to her father's side.

"Father!" she cried, trying to take hold of his hands. "What's wrong?"

He just gasped, his breathing labored as he gripped the table harder, with such force that it was a wonder he didn't break a piece of it off. What was happening to him finally dawning on her, Rosalind shouted, "Cecilia. Go to the medicine cabinet and take two aspirin and give them to him. Make sure he doesn't choke. I will call the doctor." Cecilia nodded, her eyes wild with worry, and dashed to the other side of the room to the storage cabinet.

Rosalind squashed the urge to keep holding her father's hand and ran into the kitchen, picking up the phone and calling the number for the clinic.

Ray picked up. "Hello, Alvarna Clinic. This is Ray speaking. How can I help-"

"Ray!" Rosalind breathed, wide eyes trained on her father as Cecilia rushed to him, pills and a glass of water in hand.

"Hello Rosalind. What's going on, is everything okay?" Ray responded calmly, picking up on the panic in her voice.

"Get your mother. It's my father. I think… I think he's having a heart attack."

_Glutton: one who digs his grave with his teeth. –French Proverb_

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** BAW SADNESS. D: Sorry about that. XD Thank you for reading, and remember, feedback is love~


	5. 001: Beginnings

Warnings: None.

Characters: Both everyone and no one in particular. Kyle, mostly.

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 001: Beginnings**_

.~.~.~.~.

To every beginning there is an end.

These two things are inexorably tied together, links in a never-ending chain. They cannot be without one another, because without them time becomes frozen and unmoving. Things change, people come and go. This is an undeniable part of life.

But when Kyle moved into Alvarna and into their hearts, no one in town was expecting him to be gone so soon. No one was ready for the end to come when it did. The news of his disappearance traveled through the town like a shockwave, dropping jaws and breaking hearts. He left without a word, even to his own wife, leaving no trace. All of his hard work had been lost too – the fields were in shambles again from a rough storm that had blown through that same night he disappeared, and would likely stay that way. To the townspeople, the only things left of him were his children, Aaron and Aria, who looked so much like him.

It was an end to a beautiful time, of prosperity and happiness. The villagers all understood what Kyle, bright and generous, had done for their town. After his disappearance a veritable cloud of depression settled over the town for months, leaving everything just a little bit duller, a little less exciting. Everyone had been changed in some way by one man's kindness and strength, and when he was gone they all felt it.

To every beginning there is an end. That is an undeniable fact, one everyone in town knew well.

But to every end there is a beginning, which they were just beginning to learn from the twins. They had his same giving nature, same kind smile, and his same inner and outer strength. They just didn't quite know what that meant.

.~.~.~.~.


	6. 016: Purple

Warnings: None whatsoever. I didn't even swear! How odd! XD

Characters: Alicia, Cecilia, and Mana.

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 016: Purple**_

.~.~.~.~.

It was a typical holiday in Alvarna – peaceful, quiet, and beautiful. The weather was nice and calm, so Alicia, Cecilia, and Mana had taken to having their daily "girl-time" outside in the park by the fountain. All three of them sat on the stone edge, and Mana and Alicia were giggling and flicking water at each other when Cecilia quietly spoke up. "Hey, Alicia… I was wondering…Why do you always wear so much purple?"

Alicia looked up and laughed, momentarily stopping her water fight with Mana. "What brought this on, Ceci? Jealous about my sexy looks?" she teased, and Cecilia blushed bright red.

"N-No! I am not! I was just curious, is all." She pouted, and Alicia couldn't help the small snicker that escaped at her expression. Cecilia blushed darker, trying her best to glare daggers at her.

"Hmm, why is that?" she mused, leaning back and swinging her heeled feet. She was silent for a few moments, absentmindedly chewing on her lower lip. "Purple is such a strong, royal color. Only such a color would do for someone like me." She smirked, tossing her long wavy pink locks back over her shoulder. Cecilia and Mana snorted, giggling in amusement. Alicia's smirk died, turning into a frown. She did not appreciate being made fun of. Momentarily, her eyes lit up, and with the smirk planted firmly back on her face, she gave Cecilia a playful shove.

Only instead of moving only a little to the side, Cecilia fell backwards, right into the fountain. Alicia let out a raucous laugh while both Cecilia and Mana yelped in surprise. "Now what are you doing in the fountain, Cecilia? Fancied a swim?"

Cecilia just blinked, sitting in the waist-deep water in shock while Mana turned to Alicia. "What did you do that for? That wasn't very nice!"

"It was an accident! She's the one who fell backwards; I didn't push her in that dire-AAAHHH!" Cecilia stood up, wrapping her arms around Alicia's waist and pulling her into the fountain with her. Mana let out a squeal, shielding her face as water shot up and splashed her.

Alicia sat up with a sputter, her purple top hanging uncomfortably over her shoulder and her witch's hat flopping in her face, a waterfall of water rushing off of it. Cecilia and Mana burst into hysterical giggles at the sight, clutching their sides desperately.

"…You guys are so mean," Alicia complained, crossing her arms with a frown. She stood up, shaking some of the water off in Mana's direction. Mana closed her eyes, and that was when Alicia pounced, pulling her in the fountain as well.

They stared in silence at each other for a few moments before erupting into laughter, splashing each other before they all crawled out, grinning like maniacs.

.~.~.~.~.


	7. 076: Who?

Warnings: None.

Characters: Kyle, Mana and Douglas are mentioned.

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 076: Who?**_

.~.~.~.~.

Who am I?

That's a good question. If you find out, tell me, because I sure don't know.

How did I come to be in such a predicament—not knowing who I am? That, also, is a good question. If I remember, I'll be sure to tell you.

Good luck with that, though. It has been several seasons since I found myself (or, at least, the self I am now—who knows who I was before) in the quiet, rural port-town of Alvarna that one spring morning.

I'm not even sure how I got here, really. Those first few days are kind of a blur now. I just woke up one day in a grassy field, not knowing anything, and just started walking, I suppose. The only thing I really remember is the panic and confusion running through my veins and the strong scent of flowers. Maybe that was what drew me here. The scent was alluring and calming. It made me feel better, safer.

It was a strange string of coincidences and lucky breaks that happened afterward that lead me to stay here; but despite their oddity I'm grateful they happened. Who knows what would have happened to me – a man who knows nothing about where or who or what I was or might have been or could have been. Meeting Mana and being allowed (or maybe forced, I'm still not sure to this day) to live and work at her family's farm was probably the luckiest thing that could have happened to me.

But those first few days were rough. Who knew farm work was so hard? I could tell that I had done some type of manual labor before—despite my skinny stature, I wasn't exactly a scrawny weakling—but the work was still difficult and tiring. And sleep didn't come easily, despite my exhaustion. In the quietness of the night where the only soul in the house was myself and the only sounds were the creaking of the trees against the house or an owl hooting somewhere outside, my thoughts were left to wander and build up with questions and insecurities.

I wondered what kind of person I was before. What if I was a bad person? Did I do terrible things? My seemingly natural knack for fighting and magic worries me sometimes. Did I have family? What were they like, if I did? Were we close? Did they miss me; did they wonder where I was or if I was okay? What kind of pain was I possibly putting them through?

Eventually sleep would overtake me, but it was uneasy and light. The slightest sound in the house would wake me up, and it would be difficult to fall asleep again.

I felt alone in the world. I had no friends or family to lean on. I took to doing favors for everyone I could, with the hopes that maybe I wouldn't have to feel so lost anymore, eventually. And in time, things _did_ get better. I got used to my surroundings, got closer to the people in town, and I felt less insecure and lost.

I still wonder who I was in the stillness of the night. But in the seasons I've been here, I've learned who I _am_, right now. For now, it's enough.

The thoughts and questions will always plague me until my memory returns, but for now, being here is enough. I have a future to look forward to here, so the past doesn't matter quite as much anymore.

I'd still like to know, though. A person needs a past, present, and future to feel whole, to feel _alive_. I hope one day I can become whole again.

.~.~.~.~.


	8. 092: Christmas

Warnings: This is slight AU, because they do not celebrate Christmas in Alvarna. But that's the theme, so that's what I write. 8D Otherwise this is rated K+.

Characters: Barrett, Kyle, Douglas and Gordon. Ray, Mana, and Byron are mentioned, but not present.

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 092: Christmas**_

.~.~.~.~.

It was a quiet winter morning. The sun shone uncharacteristically bright for such a morn, merrily handing down its rays through a cloudless sky. The blinding brightness bounced off of the clean white sheet of snow, reflecting and making the day even the more bright and cheery.

Barrett awoke with a start, squinting painfully through the sunlight. Silently he pulled the covers away, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Overslept…" he said simply, standing up to change. A glance at the calendar stopped him for a moment.

Christmas Day.

Barrett groaned aloud, continuing to dress himself. The town was going to be in utter chaos – everyone would be running around exchanging gifts, decorating, singing carols… he could already hear the overtones of someone singing _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_. Too bad they were off-key; Barrett couldn't recall ever listening to anyone in town sing well. And, per tradition, all of the girls would have a small piece of mistletoe to ambush their crush with.

It wasn't like he was ever targeted – except Mana that one year, and he never wanted to think about that again – but it didn't mean that he enjoyed the sight.

And, he had to admit—he might have been a little bitter at the whole holiday. Sure, everyone wished him a Merry Christmas… but ever since he became a teenager, he stopped getting presents. Sure, he got things from his father—but they usually had a double purpose to them, so he just dumped the gifts somewhere in the house and never looked at them again. Ray had given him something a few years back, but it was small, and he quite honestly couldn't remember what it was.

He stepped outside, and sure enough, Douglas and Gordon were dancing around in front of the church, singing that god-awful song and undoubtedly drunk. _Already. _Barrett rolled his eyes, slipping past the pair as quickly as he could.

He stepped down the path to Cherry Blossom Square – only to be bowled over, both him and his assailant tumbling into a snow bank.

"Ow…" the other man groaned, sitting up. Barrett stood up quickly, dusting the snow off as best he could.

"You should watch where you're going." Barrett grumped, looking down to see who it was.

"Sorry…" Kyle rubbed his head awkwardly, before perking up and looking around frantically. "Oh no, where did it go?" He turned around, animatedly digging through the bank.

"What are you looking for?" Barrett raised an eyebrow, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"A present, I must have dropped it when I fell… Ah ha! Here it is!" He shouted joyfully, pulling a box out of the snow. He stood up, dusting the snow off of the top.

"Here, this is for you. I was looking for you when we crashed." Kyle said, holding the box out. He smiled brightly, waiting for him to take it.

"Huh? For me?"

"Yeah, for you. I spent a lot of time trying to find it, so you better like it." Kyle chuckled as Barrett took the box hesitantly. It was very heavy, the contents rattling inside. "Well, are you going to open it or not?"

Barrett looked up for a moment before looking back down at the box. It was dented and soggy, the sides discolored by the muddy snow it had fallen in… but it was a present. For him.

He lifted the lid, revealing several stones. These stones, he quickly realized, were ore – iron, silver, copper, gold, even a small bit of platinum.

For once, he got a present he could actually use. Barrett stared at the contents for a while, not having anything to say.

"Do you… not want it?" Kyle asked quietly, staring at him nervously. Barrett shook his head automatically.

"No… I mean, yes, I do want it…" For the first time in a long while, Barrett smiled. "Thank you."

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** Baw it sucks. XD Merry Christmas, all who celebrate it! Happy Holidays to everyone else!

Shameless plug time! Rune Haven, a Rune Factory forum here on FanFiction, is hosting its very own monthly writing contest! Every month there will be a theme for you to write about, and the winner gets to pick the theme for the next month. We're currently deciding on our very first theme, and the deadline after we pick the theme will be January 31st. Check my profile for the link if you can't find it/are too lazy to go look yourself (lol I would), and there's more details in the thread if you need them plus people to answer any questions you have. Thank you~


	9. 055: Spirit

Warnings: None~

Characters: Gordon, Douglas, and Natalie. Cammy and Dorothy are mentioned in passing.

**A/N:** This is set in the BEFORE TIME, (-ominous sounds-) meaning when the bachelors and bachelorettes were still small children. It is also very speculative and might not be right at all in canon, because we simply do not know much at all about the older characters.

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 055: Spirit**_

.~.~.~.~.

"Guys, I think I'm going to become a priest."

Douglas choked violently on his drink, coughing harshly and pounding his chest. Natalie merely blinked, setting her glass of liquor softly on the table.

"You've gotta be joking." Douglas laughed loudly once he had finished choking, his booming voice echoing off the stone walls of the church. "You're drunk. There's no way you could pull that off, buddy. And why would ya wanna do that anyway?" He punched him in the shoulder.

Gordon recoiled, his one eye narrowing. "I'm not drunk! And I'm serious. I want to become a priest."

"Nah, you're totally drunk. You, a priest?"

"This is about Ana, isn't it?" Natalie interrupted softly as Douglas started a second laughing fit, and Gordon visibly twitched at the mention of his late wife's name, his eye automatically falling down on his nearly empty glass. Douglas stopped laughing at once, staring at his friend.

"Seriously? Is that what this is about?"

Gordon sighed. "Yeah…" He turned the glass in place, watching as the amber liquid swirled and rippled. "It's just… this place, it seems so… empty without her. There hasn't been a sermon here in so long… I kind of miss it."

Natalie gave him a small reassuring smile, patting his hand, which was so much bigger than her own. "I think it's a great idea. It would do you good to stop gallivanting around with Douglas fighting monsters and getting yourselves hurt, anyway."

"Hey! For your information, we're downright awesome fighters and don't get hurt that often," Douglas pointed out, shaking a finger in her direction.

Natalie sighed. "Maybe, but when you _do_ get hurt, it's always serious. Gordon lost an _eye_ for goodness' sake!"

"Bah. Nothing but a scratch, right, buddy?"

Gordon chuckled, downing the rest of his drink before pouring some more. "Nothing but a scratch. But…"

"But what?" Douglas butted in, snatching the bottle from his grasp and pouring himself some more too. "Don't tell me you're going soft on me, Gordon."

Gordon huffed exasperatedly, rubbing the side of his face. "I don't know. Maybe. It's just that… I just can't keep going out and putting myself in danger anymore." He glanced at the space behind Natalie, where on a table stood a picture of his late wife with his daughters in front of the church, next to a golden urn which held her ashes. "I don't have Ana to keep watch on the girls anymore, and they're too little to take care of themselves. And I can't keep leaving them in Natalie or Tanya's care, they're my children."

Douglas growled in distaste and set his glass down. "You're growing up on me, buddy."

Natalie gave him a dirty stare. "I think it's very good of him."

"I never said it wasn't," Douglas replied, spinning the glass in his hands. "Just that I was disappointed."

Gordon chuckled. "Well, you're just going to have to deal with it." Some things were more important than glory on the battlefield.

"I'm sure Ana is very proud of you," Natalie said, holding her glass up. "May her spirit watch over you on your journey into a new place in life."

"Amen," the two men said in unison, clinking their glasses together. It would be a difficult (and unwanted in Douglas' opinion) transition, but they were friends, and would be there to support him no matter what.

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** I just came up with something for Gordon's wife's name, if you couldn't tell.

And baw this is awful, but it has been sitting in my folder for this since practically the beginning, and I've forgotten for the most part what I was going for… so I just finished it up real quick and hoped for the best. ^^; It's not very good, but oh well. I hope you enjoyed~ Concrit and advice is loved. :D


	10. 036: Smell

Warnings: Rated mid-to-high T. Not going to tell you what for, though, because that would ruin it. :D

Characters: Kyle and Rosalind.

**_Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes_**

_**Theme 036: Smell**_

.~.~.~.~.

Her smell reminded him of spring.

Like newly-cut dew-covered grass and fresh water bubbling down from the mountains. Like the flowers that grew around town—Pink Cats and Toyherbs, like the cherry blossoms in the Square, or maybe like that elusive and beautifully golden Emery Flower he had recently managed to grow after seasons of work.

Yes, an Emery Flower would suit her well, he thinks. Its golden leaves shimmered in the sunlight like the emeralds of her eyes: precious things to be cherished (_he could lose himself in them if he ever got the chance to gaze into them long enough_). It stood tall and regal, golden tendrils reaching up to the sun and enrapturing all who saw it, just like her (_he couldn't keep his eyes off of her whenever she was in the room_).

It was perfect… (_just like her_).

There wasn't anything he wanted—no, needed—more.

As he tended to his crops, he thought of her. When he was caring for his monsters in the barn, brushing and collecting their produce, he thought of her. When he was lying in bed, late at night, the only noise a hooting owl outside and the shuffling of his limbs under the sheets, he thought of her.

He couldn't get her out of his head. Her long, silky-looking sky blue hair (_so, so soft, the thought of running his fingers through it made him quiver_), her slender, dainty hands tipped with lacquered nails (_so, so smooth, imagining how they would feel against his skin made him grow oh so hot_), the brilliance of her smile (_those lips, he wanted to kiss them until they bruised_), the soft angles of her frame (_so perfectly shaped, he wanted to run his hands down it_). He had only known her for a few seasons, and already she had completely captured his heart and soul. He loved her so much he couldn't stand it, not anymore.

She would be his. There was no other possible conclusion, he was confident of that. He had already come up with a plan. He had spent days perfecting it—endlessly going over every minute detail, every possibility of something going wrong (_not like it would, but it never hurt to be prepared for everything), _and thinking and planning out every moment. This was his masterpiece; _she_ was a masterpiece (_like the Emery Flower he had picked just hours before, sitting serenely in a vase on the kitchen table, glittering in the orange glow of the firelight_), and nothing could go wrong. He was almost giddy with excitement: it would happen tomorrow. There was just one more thing he had to prepare, and he would be ready.

He sat on the hearth in the light of the fire, the only sounds in the house the ghostly hooting of the owl outside, the scraping of metal against metal, and the occasional giggle that ripped itself from his throat.

She was his, and there was no harm in taking what belonged to him, right?

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** This was actually really fun to write, aha. It has been a long time since I've tried anything other than your typical schmoopy-woopy romance/falling in love scene. :D While fluff is nice and all, it feels good to do something different.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading. Drop me a line if you wish, I love hearing from all of you, whether it's good or bad.


	11. 062: Spring

Character: Kyle

Warnings: None

_**Rune Factory 2: 100 Themes**_

_**Theme 062: Spring**_

.~.~.~.~.

The first day of spring was always a beautiful thing. When the near-blinding whiteness finally receded into color, when the blanket of winter lifted so that things might rise from the earth, that was a wonderful thing worthy of celebration. I could feel the earth humming with joy and life underneath my feet after being held in frozen dormancy for so long, and it brought a little spring in my step, a smile to my face that only it could beget. It brought a feeling of being alive, of contentment, that for some inexplicable reason seemed to be torn away from me whenever Jack Frost curled his icy grip on the world.

It was a freeing thing, to see the silent, muffling white turn to bright color that whispered in the wind, and I loved every second of it. The feeling of soft earth under my hands, digging itself a home under my fingernails, covering every inch of my hands and knees and face as I wiped the sweat from my brow. The satisfaction of digging and planting and watering and toiling away under a hot sun, day after day, and watching as little seeds grew into seedlings, into young plants, and finally into beautiful tall vegetation with bright green waxy leaves and fruit that was soft and delicious and ripe. It was my life's blood, the thing that brought meaning to it all—the thing I wished for every second of the winter months.

_All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar._

.~.~.~.~.

**A/N:** The little italicized bit is a quote from Helen Hayes. So yeah, not mine. XD

AND NO THIS THING IS NOT DEAD. I've just been a bit busy… I have a bunch of other projects in other fandoms that I've been focusing on, in addition to getting a day job and toiling away at that. ^^; Hopefully I'll get back in the swing of things again.

Shameless self plug: Duplicity is back up, for those of you who have been following that before I took it down and haven't noticed. :D So if you remember it and were interested, go ahead and check it out~


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